ATTITUDE AND SELF-REPORTED PRACTICES OF SELF-MEDICATION AMONG HEALTHCARE AND NON-HEALTHCARE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: A COMPARATIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Self-medication is a growing global concern, particularly in developing countries where easy drug accessibility may lead to inappropriate use. Understanding attitudes and practices among students is crucial for public health interventions.

Objective: To compare attitudes and self-reported practices of self-medication between healthcare and non-healthcare undergraduate students.

Methods: A comparative cross-sectional survey was conducted among 400 students (200 healthcare, 200 non-healthcare) from selected institutions of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. Data were collected using validated questionnaires assessing attitudes and self-reported practices of self-medication. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 16.

Results: The majority of students in both groups favored self-medication (healthcare: 68.5%, non-healthcare: 87%). Non-healthcare students had significantly higher attitude scores (median=36) compared to healthcare students (median=33), U=15,420, p=0.002. Self-medication was practiced by 91.5% of students overall (healthcare: 89.5%, non-healthcare: 93.5%). Common indications included fever (90.8% vs 88.2%), cold (83.2% vs 90.4%), cough (82.1% vs 83.5%), and headache (77.1% vs 78.6%). Primary reasons were perceiving illness as minor (87.2% vs 88.8%) and seeking quick relief (81.5% vs 76.3%).

Conclusions: Self-medication practices are highly prevalent among both healthcare and non-healthcare students, with non-healthcare students showing more favorable attitudes toward self-medication. Educational interventions are needed to promote responsible medication use among university students.